Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-07
THE CHINCH BUG IN ILLINOIS.
Brief Account of its Ravages and of
Remedial Measures Adopred.

| briei Account OF Its Ravages and OF
Remedial Measures Adopted.
DIR. s. A. Forbes, State Entomologist,
has just issued bulletin upon the present
condition of chinch bugs in Illinois, and
the prospects of injury by them next sea-
son, which ought to be in the hands OF
every farmer in the State Weselect such
paragraphs as are of most general and
practical interest. OF the present condi-
ton, DIR. f. writes:
FOR three successive years the chinch
bug has been extraordinarily destructive in
Southern Illinois, gradually extending the
area OF its investment until now it occu-
pies there the largest part of thirty coun-
ties. Reports of its occurrence in Iowa,
Minnesota and Wisconsin led Us in July to
a careful search for it in Northern Hi
nois; and there also, especially in the
counties Of Lake, Winnebago, Stephen
numerous, and occasionally decidedly
| Injurious to corn and oats adjoining
wheat and barley. 1t has freely bred there
this season, in both winter and spring
wheat, and in barley and, as these ripen-
ed, has made its way on foot into corn and
oats adjoining. From some of the west
ern counties Of the State, noticeably
from Rock Island county, it is also re
ported present in great numbers, injuri-
Gus to both wheat and corn; and many
correspondents throughout central and
western Illinois have notified me of It's ap-
pearance IN numbers 10 attract attention
and to threaten serious injury.
"The weather conditions in northern.
southern and western Illinois last wear
and throughout the State this season, have
been eminently favorable to the multipli-
cation of the chinch-bug; and if these con-
tlnue unchanged there is great danger that
the larger part Of the State may be over
run by it another season. In other words,
the agricultural interest of this State is
threatened with loss of possibly fifty
million dollars in single year-a condi-
ton Of affairs which clearly constitutes an
emergency calling for the use Of every re-
source Of knowledge, enterprise and indus
try which can be brought to bear but
especially demanding intelligent Joint ac-
ton on common plan Of defense. While
individual farmers may separately protect
their crops to {. considerable extent, they
may by timely, concerted action almost
completely defend whole neighborhoods at
4 relatively small expense. Many meas
ures which are useless after an outbreak
has reached unmanageable proportions,
may be quite sufficient to arrest mischief
at the start"
Dr. Forbes discusses remedial measures
under three heads, viz: Agricultural
methods, barriers against migration and
direct destruction. Under the first are
discussed clean and diversified farming
temporary abandonment, in corn districts,
of small grain, especially wheat and barley;
temporary abandonment of corn in small
grain regions; culture of crops not affected
by the chinch bug Glover. buckwheat,
potatoes, root crops fax, hemp, beans,
castor beans, melons and fruits); heavy
fertilization; use Of surplus seed; mixing
seed, and several others of less Importance.
One Of these-heavy fertilization ought
to be generally employed in the infested
regions as it is clearly shown that great
benefit results from II. This important
example we give III full;
"a plot of wheat heavily fertilized be-
fore sowing with barnyard manure-al-
most the only wheat in that neighborhood
was very vigorously attacked in spring
by the chinch bug, much Of it being badly
damaged by the adults Of the alternating
generation before they had even laid
their eggs. Notwithstanding this injury,
and that by the much more abundant gen
Grafton following, this plot yielded, accord
ing to a report made to me August 4th, at
the rate Of 20.8 bushels per acre, 81 pounds
to the bushel; while the portion treated
in spring with special fertilizers yielded at
the rate Of q bushels per acre, G. pounds
to the bushel. The usual average yield
Of tn, region does not exceed Is
bushels. 1t Is scarcely possible that this
field could have yielded more than ten
bushels per acre if left unfertilized. The
effect Of the first application Of manure
was, therefore, to about double the crop;
and that of the second, to further increase
the yield by some twenty-eight per cent"
-Prairie Far?ncr.